Aluminium housing with seal
We are an aluminium enclosure manufacturer in Bavaria with our own production facilities. Unlike other enclosure manufacturers, with us you don't just get custom-made aluminium enclosures, but also the appropriate sealing solution from a single source.
- Customised production
- Batch sizes 1 to 1 million units.
- Express production from 2 weeks
- 100% Reliability & proactivity
Milled aluminium housings with vulcanised seal
All our empty aluminium housings are manufactured to customer specifications and made to order. On most aluminium housings, we also vulcanise a seal directly onto the housing. For aluminium housing production, we use extruded aluminium profiles, solid aluminium stock or aluminium die-cast blanks, which are subsequently CNC-milled. This gives you maximum freedom in designing the aluminium housing for your Rubber-metal connection.
For high volumes with lower surface quality, milled aluminium cases
Die-cast aluminium housing
Small manufacturing spaces, tight tolerances, mostly CNC precision milled
Miniature aluminium enclosure
Even pressure distribution and easy integration into holes due to the round design
Round aluminium casing
Custom-milled aluminium housing
Rectangular aluminium enclosure
What are the benefits of Aluminium casings?
- Low weight with high mechanical stability – around three times lighter than steel
- Natural corrosion resistance through a self-protecting oxide layer
- Excellent thermal conductivity for temperature-critical applications
- Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for electronic components
- Simple, economic machinability for precise machining
- Diverse surface treatments such as anodising, powder coating or lacquering
Aluminium housing with vulcanised seal
individually made by GUME
- In-house toolmaking – moulds and jigs developed and manufactured internally
- Express production – Prototypes on demand in 2–3 weeks
- Up to 500 mm edge length – from small enclosures to larger components
- Quantity 1 to 10,000+ / year – Single item, small batch or series
- Production in Bavaria – short distances, consistent quality, direct contact
Sealing materials for your Aluminium leather case
Industrial aluminium housings are used across a wide range of industries, which is why the seal must always be precisely matched to the final application. Working with a housing manufacturer that vulcanises the seal directly into the housing therefore means you are not limited to off-the-shelf products. Instead, you receive aluminium housings that are developed and manufactured entirely for you and your specific application (e.g. IP65, IP66, IP67 or higher):
For outdoor use and resistant to UV radiation, ozone and hot water, but not oil-resistant
Proven in contact with mineral oils, fuels, greases and hydraulic fluids
Similar oil and fuel resistance to NBR, but with higher temperature stability
Designed for aggressive chemicals, fuels, and continuous temperatures up to 200°C
Temperature range −50 °C to +220 °C, approved for food and medical technology
Resistant to weathering, ozone, refrigerants, and moderate oil and grease contact
The manufacturing process of aluminium housing with
Bespoke seals
As an aluminium housing manufacturer with over 35 years of experience, we produce small batches and series of up to 10,000+ units per year. To achieve this, we combine suitable manufacturing processes so that your industrial aluminium housing is economically viable and of high quality.
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Design specification
Based on your customer drawing, we will check feasibility, material selection, and manufacturing parameters. Dimensions, tolerances, wall thicknesses, and sealing geometry will be jointly agreed upon. Following approval of the drawing and quantity planning, the order calculation for the manufacturing concept will take place.
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Surface treatment
Depending on the requirement, the housing is anodised, powder-coated or chemically treated. The surface treatment improves corrosion resistance, hardness and appearance. Areas that are subsequently vulcanised are left out.
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Housings manufacture
The custom aluminium enclosure is CNC-machined precisely from solid material or extruded profiles by milling or turning. Aluminium enclosure manufacturers also add holes, threads, fits and functional surfaces during this step.
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Vulcanisation
The pre-treated housing is placed in a custom-made vulcanising mould, which is manufactured simultaneously in our tool-making department. Under pressure and temperature, the raw rubber is permanently vulcanised onto the aluminium.
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Quality control
After vulcanisation, we check dimensional accuracy, the adhesive strength of the seal, leak-tightness, and, if necessary, other specified test characteristics. The housing is then packaged ready for dispatch.
You have questions about
Aluminium housing with seal?
We have answers!
What is the difference between milled and die-cast aluminium enclosures?
Machined aluminium empty enclosures are manufactured from solid aluminium or extruded aluminium profiles using CNC machining with the highest dimensional accuracy, tight tolerances and very good surface quality. They are ideally suited for prototypes and small to medium batches. Die-cast aluminium enclosures are produced by casting liquid aluminium and can be more cost-effective for very large volumes. However, die-cast aluminium enclosures have rougher surfaces and are therefore less commonly installed as visible components. At GUME, we select the most cost-effective option that meets your specifications and also procure pre-products that we do not manufacture ourselves from our supplier network, which has been proven over more than 35 years.
Where are aluminium housings used?
Aluminium housings are in demand wherever low weight, precision and durability must come together. As aluminium electronics enclosures, they shield control units and power electronics from electromagnetic interference. In mechanical engineering and the automotive sector, aluminium sensor housings protect sensor components and measurement equipment. Further areas of application for aluminium housings include medical technology, aviation and vehicle manufacturing.
Can small housings also be made of aluminium?
Yes, we are very flexible with the size of aluminium enclosures. We mostly produce custom-made small aluminium enclosures in larger quantities with a high degree of automation. As a specialised aluminium enclosure manufacturer, however, we also produce larger aluminium enclosures with edge lengths of up to 500 mm, from bespoke production to large-scale series.
How well can a gasket be vulcanised onto an aluminium housing?
Aluminium is highly suitable for vulcanisation, provided the surface is properly pretreated. Mechanical roughening, degreasing and the application of an adhesion-promoting primer create a chemical-mechanical bond between the rubber and the metal surface. With correct process control, the bond strength is so high that, in the event of failure, the seal tears cohesively within the rubber rather than detaching from the small aluminium housing.
What is the typical lead time for the manufacture of an aluminium empty enclosure with an integrated gasket?
Our typical delivery time is 8 weeks. However, thanks to optimised processes and our own tool manufacturing, we can also deliver aluminium housing parts according to your drawings, including seals, within 2-3 weeks. Enquire about the possibility of express production – we are happy to help you cover short-notice requirements quickly.
Is sampling or a prototype possible prior to mass production?
Prototype production of small aluminium housings is always possible. We are happy to implement design changes at any time prior to series approval. Prototypes are also possible for aluminium housings with a vulcanised seal. However, as this requires a mould, we generally recommend proceeding directly to a production mould for aluminium housing manufacturing including the seal. A production mould is more cost-intensive than a prototype mould, but can be used directly for series production, eliminating the cost of a separate prototype mould.
How is it ensured that the housing seal adheres precisely to the correct position on the aluminium empty enclosure?
The positioning of the seal is ensured by moulds manufactured in-house at our mould-making facility. The aluminium housing is placed into a custom-made vulcanisation mould that precisely replicates the sealing surface. Through the combined application of pressure and temperature, the raw rubber flows into the designated position and vulcanises there, resulting in an aluminium housing with an integrated seal.
Can rubber be applied to an anodised or coated aluminium housing?
Anodised and paint layers significantly reduce the adhesion of the bonding system required for vulcanisation. If relevant surfaces are not affected by the milling process, extruded material can be used that has already been pre-treated and is only machined from one side. Alternatively, the aluminium housings can first be milled, then masked and surface-treated, and subsequently a housing seal can be vulcanised onto the masked areas.
How do EPDM, NBR, silicone and FKM differ as sealing materials when used on aluminium housings?
EPDM is excellently suited to weathering, ozone and hot water, but is not oil-resistant. NBR is the classic choice for mineral oils, fuels and hydraulic media. Silicone is mostly used for wide temperature ranges (−60 °C to +200 °C) as well as in food and medical technology applications, but is mechanically less resilient. FKM (Viton®) offers the highest resistance to chemicals, fuels and high temperatures, but is the most cost-intensive material.
